Time for New Shoes!

Did you know that looking after your child’s feet is as important as looking after their teeth? According to research, ill fitting shoes can cause problems for their feet in later life. Blisters, ingrowing toes nails, knee and posture problems can all be caused by shoes that don’t fit properly.

Children’s feet tend to grow rapidly in the first four years of their life, but it can take up to 18 years for the foot’s bones, muscles and ligaments to harden into adult form. So teenage feet need to be looked after as well as those of smaller children.

As a mum, I definitely want to feel reassured that my kids have shoes that not only fit properly but are also sturdy and supportive and will last longer than a few weeks. My six year old seems to think the best way to stop herself from crashing on her scooter is to drag her foot along the ground rather than use the brake! And, as every mum knows, their feet grow so quickly that you definitely want value for money! No one wants to be buying new shoes every few weeks. Too many times to mention, I have fallen foul of buying shoes in the size she was last measured as, without her being there to try them on, only to try them on at home and them not fit properly. Obviously I took them back, but it’s all just extra time that I don’t have to spare.

So, I decided it was time for a proper re measure. We went to Jake Shoes in Stockport, where all the staff are trained to measure children’s feet and then ensure that the shoes fit properly. This is important as different brands and designs all have slightly different shapes, sizes and fits, as we were about to find out.

Her feet were measured by Lesley, and she came out as a 12. Half a size bigger than last time, and about right for the length of time since the last measure and her age and rate of growing. She chose some shoes she loved, sparkly ones obviously, and tried them on in a size 12. Before she even took a step in them, Lesley felt around her foot, checked where her toes were in the shoe and checked for room for growth (super important for kids) and told us straight away that she thought they were too tight. She checked this out with Mia, who concurred. We decided to try the next size up, as Lesly explained that this particular brand often come up as small once tried on, but this wouldn’t necessarily be the case with another brand. We tried the next size up, which Lesly thought would have a much better fit with insoles inserted. She was right. An absolutely perfect fit, with room to grow. A Cinderalla moment! And a big learning point for me. I wouldn’t have ever thought about going up a size and using an insole. Another reason why a professional measure and fit is so important. They really know their stuff at Jake’s. Pop in soon, they are always happy to help!

Jake Shoes has a great range of shoes for both kids and adults. They also have a wide range of school shoes for both boys and girls. I’ll definitely be going back for myself soon!